


Something to Look Forward To

by shockandlock



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Crimson Flower, F/F, Flashbacks, Funerals, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Longing, Lost items, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24400915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shockandlock/pseuds/shockandlock
Summary: Byleth is unsure of what to do with the ring her father leaves her. All she knows is that she must keep it safe with her at all times. This becomes and issue when she loses it.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Jeralt Reus Eisner & My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 2
Kudos: 132





	Something to Look Forward To

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write something where Byleth could show some vulnerability (with some added suggestive themes of course). I have a couple of more ideas for Edeleth oneshots in the future, but these are fun to write!
> 
> Enjoy!

One of the first things that Byleth did after reuniting with her dear students was to get a chain made. The blacksmith considered it a strange request. Byleth didn’t blame her. They were at war. It made much more sense to devote the time and resources to weapons or armor, but Byleth had the money. The blacksmith complied.

The chain looked like a delicate thing, but it was actually quite sturdy. Byleth wouldn’t settle for anything cheap and fragile. She lived a rough life– they all did– so she needed something that would hold up to the wear of battle. Of course, it would remain secure behind her collar and the medallion across her chest, but she wanted to be absolutely sure.

There was just one final touch, which Byleth handled within the safety and privacy of her own room. 

She made sure the door was locked before she sat at her desk. It was late already, so she had to use candlelight. First, she unclasped the chain, and then with her other hand, she carefully slid the Jeralt’s ring onto the chain. On the surface, it wasn’t a difficult or delicate task. It didn’t require extreme precision, but Byleth treated it as such. This was important to her.

Byleth had been struggling with what to do with it ever since she found it, but she considered leaving it on the grave during the funeral. 

* * *

_ The funeral should have been a quiet affair. Byleth didn’t think that Jeralt would want people to make a big deal over his death. After all, he faked his own death years before for a quiet life as a mercenary. Well, it was anything but quiet, though it was still quieter than life as Captain of the Knights of Seiros.  _

_ She was required to attend the funeral as part of the faculty, but it felt more like an obligation. It was long. It was hard to pay attention to. She hated it. _

_ Even though Rhea was eloquent as she spoke about Jeralt’s life and achievements, it felt like it would never end. Byleth needed space to process her grief, but instead she had to stand in front of everyone as they lowered Jeralt’s body into the ground into the shared grave. _

_ At the very least, Byleth was comforted by the thought that Jeralt was finally at rest with Sitri. _

_ Byleth headed to the Captain’s Quarters as soon as the funeral ended. It wasn’t hard to find the place where Jeralt hid his journal. He always stood in this particular spot whenever Byleth visited.  _

_ Along with the journal, she found the ring. _

_ She didn’t get a good chance to look at the ring when Jeralt first showed it to her. Now it belonged to her, but it only filled Byleth with pain. _

_ That night when she was unable to sleep, she visited the grave.  _

_ It was liberating. No one stared at her with pity and there were no more long speeches to sit through. There was no one but her and the dead. _

_ Byleth brought along Jeralt’s favorite flask, which she filled beforehand, and set it on the grave. It wouldn’t do him much good now of course, but it was still comforting. _

_ “Jeralt, what do I do now?”  _

_ She uncurled her palm, finally releasing the tight grip she had around the ring. She moved her hand towards the grave to place it next to the flask. It belonged with Jeralt. He was at rest with Sitri now and this ring was a symbol of their love. _

_ Yet Byleth stopped. _

**_“This ring will be yours someday, kid. You’ll know when the time is right.”_ **

_ She pulled her hand back and held the ring against her chest. Her father wasn’t one for sentimental gifts, but this truly meant something. It was a symbol of love. Jeralt wanted her to keep it. _

_ It was the least she could do. _

* * *

One day, she would use it, but for now, she needed to keep it safe. The ring was much too precious to merely set aside in the convoy, but she could not bear to leave it behind at the monastery either. She would wear it. This was the safest option.

Byleth set the chain on her desk gently then reached up to unclasp her medallion and remove her collar. Removing these accessories left her neck bare, exposing the scar across her chest. Just as no one knew of her scar, no one would know of the ring either. The cool metal pressing against her skin reminded her that she was alive in the absence of her own beating heart. 

For now, she was alive. They had to win this war. 

* * *

The chain did its job well.

Byleth hardly even thought about its presence during battle. She had many other things to worry about: creating a proper strategy, commanding her troops, and mitigating risks to limit the use of Divine Pulse. It was all enough to make a normal human’s head spin, but Byleth supposed that she could not be called a normal human. 

The chain was intact. The ring still rested against the scar on her chest. 

As time passed, the chain started to feel like a natural part of her wardrobe, but it was more accurate to say that it was an extension of herself. She kept the chain on at all times for safety, even when she slept. The only exception was during baths. 

Inarguably, bath time was one of the most vulnerable parts of her day, but it was also one of the only times she had to relax. It was especially helpful after a long day such as this.

They had arrived back at the monastery shortly before sunset after a hard-fought battle from which they emerged as victors. The Black Eagles Strike Force briefly celebrated with a nice meal like from their academy days. Under normal circumstances, rations were conserved carefully, but they acquired extra supplies from the battle. After that, Byleth waited patiently. It was late. Everyone had gone to bed and the bathhouse was finally empty.

She was used to public bathing, but she decided to wait until the place cleared out to protect her belongings. A simple lantern was her only light source, but it was enough to get clean. She braced her hands against the edge of the community bath as she lowered herself in. The hot water washed over her body and soothed the aches and pains from a long day of battle.

It was almost enough to lull her to sleep, but she was much too experienced to do something as foolish as that. Still, she was exhausted and collapsed into slumber as soon as she made it to her bed.

Byleth awoke mere hours later. Something felt off. She gasped and clutched at the medallion over her chest.

The chain was missing.

She couldn’t believe her own carelessness. The point of wearing the ring around her neck was so she would not lose it, yet she did.

If Sothis were still here, she would have scolded Byleth.

It hurt to think about, but sitting still and dwelling on the matter would do nothing to help. It was still early, so she needed to search the bathhouse before anyone decided to take an early morning bath.

Few others seemed to be out and about at this time. The sun was still peeking out over the horizon, shining yellow light into the pale blue sky. She traced her steps back to the bathhouse and kept a keen eye out for the ring. She was certain that she hadn’t dropped it on the way back to her room, but she needed to be thorough. 

In theory, it should be a simple search. If no one else had visited the bathhouse after nighttime, then she should be able to find her missing ring with ease. With that in mind, Byleth slipped into the bathhouse. 

“My teacher?”

Byleth didn’t know what was more embarrassing: Edelgard seeing her in a frantic state, or her catching Edelgard in a state of undress. Judging by the pink tint across Edelgard’s cheeks (though Byleth supposed that this could always be a trick of the light) it was the latter.

“Edel– El?” Byleth was still adjusting to calling her that, it made El happy. She would gladly do it. “I didn’t know you’d be in here. Apologies.”

The last time Byleth could remember seeing Edelgard with her hair down was before the war years prior. Her white locks fell against her underclothes. She had yet to don her armor and her blood-red dress. 

“It’s quite alright. You wouldn’t have known,” Edelgard said. She brushed her hair behind her ear. “What are you doing here so early?”

“It’s nothing important.” Even though she wasn’t technically Edelgard’s teacher anymore, she still preferred not to burden her with her troubles. “You?”

“I… I prefer to bathe alone.” Edelgard didn’t have to elaborate. Byleth knew enough. 

“I can wait for you to finish changing.” Byleth placed her hand on the door handle. 

“I trust you, My Teacher.”

She was grateful that Edelgard couldn’t see her red cheeks as she started her search in the opposite corner of the changing room. 

This was definitely where she had left her clothes last night, so the ring had to be somewhere nearby. There was already the possibility that she dropped it someplace else, but she needed to start somewhere. 

“My Teacher,” Edelgard placed a hand on her shoulder. Byleth stood up and turned around. “Might you be looking for this?”

Edelgard held her hand up to reveal the chain– the chain that undoubtedly belonged to Byleth. The ring dangled off of it, catching the light from the windows high above. The shine of the rising sun glinted off the ring and the deep purple of the stone shimmered. Byleth had never held it up to the sun like that before. She had always kept it safe, hidden away.

Edelgard smiled. “Am I correct?”

“You are,” Byleth admitted. She looked away, rubbing her hand against her neck.

“No need to feel embarrassed,” she reassured, though Byleth was certain that she heard her suppress a giggle. She rarely let her guard down, but this was a nice change of pace. “You helped me quite a bit with my own lost things when I was a mere student.”

“You shouldn’t have to help me. You have more important things to worry about.”

“As do you. If you’ve taught me anything, it’s that we don’t have to handle things on our own.”

Her reply was simple, but her message was clear. Byleth had no rebuttal.

“May I?” Edelgard asked.

Byleth undid her collar and medallion once more, but this time she was not alone. She reached up and moved her hair aside, bearing her neck to Edelgard. The chain jingled quietly as Edelgard unclasped it, lifting it above Byleth’s head to place it around her neck. Byleth shivered when Edelgard’s bare fingers brushed against her collarbone, but the touch only lasted a mere moment. 

“Thank you,” Byleth whispered. She reached up to touch the ring resting against her chest. It was safe again.

“It’s quite a beautiful ring,” Edelgard said. “Though I’m not one for jewelry.”

“Someday then,” Byleth whispered.

“Did you say something, My Teacher?”

“It’s… Nevermind, El.” She coughed. How embarrassing.

Silently, she finished her thought. Maybe one day Edelgard would be the one to wear the ring– not on some necklace, but on her finger. Byleth couldn’t imagine entrusting it to anyone else.

“So... I’ll see you at breakfast,” Byleth said. 

“Wait.” Edelgard clutched at the edge of her cape. “I…”

“What is it, El?” she asked, turning back towards her. Byleth gently pried her hand off of her cape and held it between her own. “Let me help.”

“It’s actually– well– I would appreciate it if you could help me with my clothing.”

“I see.” Edelgard’s uncharacteristic stutter made much more sense to her now. Byleth composed herself quickly. “I’d be happy to help.” It was the least she could do to return the favor. 

Byleth had a feeling that this wouldn't be the last time she would help Edelgard with this task. At least it gave her something to look forward to in their shared future.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed that. Honestly, it probably could have been more suggestive, but I wanted to focus on Byleth's vulnerability. Maybe more steamy stuff at another time.
> 
> Please leave Kudos and a Comment to let me know what you thought!
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/shockandlock)   
>  [carrd](https://shockandlock.carrd.co/)


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